Pokémon: A Tale Of Time (Volume One: Zephyr)

Chapter Four - A Mysterious Gift

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Raido and Domuno returned to the comfort of their childhood home. The scent of sweet birthday cake filled the air, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the two brothers, their Mom and their Pokemon friends, celebrating Raido's special day.

With a triumphant grin, Raido blew out the candles on his cake, the flames flickering and dancing in the soft light. Cheers erupted from the crowd as Raido's face lit up with joy, his heart overflowing with gratitude for the love and support of those around him. Whilst his happiness filled the majority of his big heart, he did feel a solemn disappointment that one of his loved ones was not there to celebrate his moment.

Amidst the excitement, Raido opened a few cards and presents from family and friends, each one a testament to the bonds of friendship and love that surrounded him. From a new GameBoy to Pokemon themed socks from Grandma, each gift brought a smile to Raido's face as he marveled at the thoughtfulness of his loved ones.

As Raido made his way into the living room with a plate of cake, he realised his coffee needed a refill. With a mischievous grin, he turned to his Mom's Pokemon, who had joined in the day's celebrations, and asked them to lend a hand.

"Hey there, you two," Raido said with a chuckle, "Mind helping me out with some hot water?".

With a playful nod, his Pokemon friends sprang into action. Piplup lept into a dominant pose, firing a spiut of water dramatically up into the air, directly into Raido's emptying cup. As the water settled, Typhlosion focused it's gaze on the mug, as his fiery mane illuminated in a radiating glow. On demand, the coffee in the mug began to bubble and steam. Raido thanked them with a grateful smile, his heart swelling with the affection for the Pokemon companions he had grown up with. After playfully stroking both of them on the head, he settled into the couch.

Raido watched with a contented sigh as his new Nidoran was bonding with the rest of the Pokemon. With each interaction, Raido felt a newfound respect and admiration for his new partner, her determination and courage not only highlighted in the earlier battle, but with every gesture. He felt slightly ashamed in himself for his feelings of disappointment towards the gifted Nidoran that had shown so much promise. Maybe this will be the start of something special, after all.

As the evening wore on, Raido's Mom entered the room, a twinkle of both excitement and hesitance in her eye as she approached her son with a handful of wrapped gifts.

"Looks like there are a few more important presents left to open," she said with a smile, handing Raido the gifts with a sense of anticipation. With a playful grin, Raido eagerly accepted the gifts, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he examined each one in turn. The first gift at the top of the pile, rapped in vibrant Charizard-orange paper caught his attention - the final present from Mom.

With trembling hands, Raido tore into the wrapping paper, his heart pounding with excitement. As the paper fell away, he was presented with a sleek leather folder, its surface smooth to the touch. Embossed into the front leaf, were Raido's initials.

With bated breath, Raido opened the folder, his eyes widening in disbelief as he beheld the contents within. Nestled inside was a shiny Pokemon Trainer license, gleaming in the soft light of the room.

Raido's breath caught in his throat as he realised the significance of the gift. This was no ordinary license - it was a symbol of his dreams, aspirations, his journey into the world of Pokemon. With this license, he could possess, train and battle his own Pokemon, enter officiated battles and gyms, and even use official PokeCenters.

Tears welled up in Raido's eyes as he lookked up at his Mom, his heart overflowing with gratitude. With a choked voice, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, nuzzling his face into her flowing navy hair.

But as any caring, protective mother would, she quickly reminded him the rules of this engagement: stay safe, call home regularly with updates, and above all, not to get involved with anything shady. Raido nodded solemnly, his promise punctuated by another heartfelt embrace.

"You hear that, Nidoran?" Raido whispered, turning to his new partner with a bright smile. "We're going to start our Pokemon adventure together, you and me, girl!"

Nidoran cheered happily at the news, her big red eyes shining with excitement. As Raido held his license in his hands, he knew that the journey ahead would be filled with challenges, victories and unforgettable memories.

As Raido settled back onto the couch beside the remaining gifts, his eyes fell upon a small package wrapped in green. As he read the tag, his heart clenched with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension, his Mom's slight shift in demeanour not going unnoticed.

With a gentle touch, Mom placed her hand on his knees, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "He really wishes he could be here, Raido," she began, her voice tinged with regret. "He was dragged away on something really important, last minute. He's sorry he couldn't make it for your big day."

Raido's gaze lingered on the tag bearing his Father's name, his disappointment and hurt evident in his expression. This was supposed to be a day of celebration, of family, of joy. Yet once again, Dad was absent, leaving Raido to grapple with feelings of abandonment and longing.

With a heavy heart, Raido began to unwrap the present, his fingers trembling with anticipation and uncertainty. Inside the wrapping lay an old, engraved wooden box, it's surface weathered with age and adorned with intricate carvings.

As Raido lifted the lid, a hush fell over the room, the Pokemon pauding their playful antics to watch with immediate attention. Nestled inside the box was a note, its cryptic message leaving Raido puzzled and confused.

"If ever there was a chance I could,

Rewrite the deeds of the past, I would,
Keep me close to your heart and it will be understood,
The key to conquer time, is blood."

Raido furrowed his brow in confusion, his father's words leaving him with more questions than answers. With a sense of trepidation, Raido moved the note aside, revealing a peculiar charm on a necklace nestled within the box.

The charm, shaped like a fossilised leaf encased in a gleaming emerald-likke crystal, sparkled in the soft light of the room. Raido couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he picked up the necklace, the Pokemon in the room gathering around him, their eyes fixed on the crystal with an intensity that sent shivers down Raido's spine.

His Mom tried to lighten the mood, commenting on what a lovely present it was and expressing her certainty that his father would make up for lost time. Raido offered a reserved smile in response, though deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment and confusion that gnawed at his heart.

Just as Raido's spirits began to waver, his Mother announced one last present. As he took the gift in his hands, his eyes caught sight of a tag bearing a signature he knew all too well. "Is... is... is this from-?" he stuttered, looking up at his Mom with sparkled eyes. "You know it," she excitedly confirmed, smiling and laughing at Raido's sudden shift in spirit. Excitement surged through Raido's veins as he eagerly tore open the yellow packaging, his eyes widening in delight at the sight within.

"No way!", he declared, with a wide-eyed stare at the box in front of him. Sat on his lap was a brand new, next-gen PokeGear. Unable to contain his excitement, Raido's fingers practically trembled as he explored the features of his device, his mother's reminders to call and say thank you to the gifter barely registering in his excitement.

As he scrolled through the many vibrant tabs on his new device, he noticed that his Mom had already pre-loaded the numbers of important friends and family. He also noticed it had a number of apps installed such as the Johto world map, PokeWeb banking, and perhaps most importantly, the brand new PokeDex Premium. Raido barely even realised the time passing as he clicked, pressed and swiped, making the most of this amazing gift.

As time flew, Mom gently reminded him of the late hour. "Unless you've already forgot, you've got a huge day ahead of you tomorrow," she said. Raido's heart swelled with determination at the reminder. "You're right!" he declared, raising to his feet and punching the air. With a confident smile and a dramatic flourish, he clenched his fist.

"Nidoran, tomorrow... we begin our Pokemon journey!"